1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for recovering nucleic acids from a solution containing micro-organisms and to a device for the same purpose.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to the development of the technology of gene recombination in the medical industry, biological formulations are being manufactured by gene recombination. For example, many protein liquid factors, such as human insulin, interferon which is becoming widely used for the medical treatment of hepatitis, or interleukin which is regarded as a carcinostatic, are being used as medicines to remedy previously incurable disease. These protein factors are manufactured by incorporating a human gene into a fungus such as calibacillus, having the fungus produce the protein factors, and then either by incorporating a separate gene which ejects the object constituents out of the fungus or by dissolving the fungus with another enzyme to recover the object constituents.
However, since the above method requires several operational steps, a problem exists in that protein cannot be recovered continuously.
Accordingly, the official gazette of the Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. HEI 7-68268 provides a protein recovering method and device thereof which enable the recovery of protein and various hormones in one continuous operation, and which also enable the continuous recovery of protein and various hormones. This official gazette also discloses a sterilization method and a device thereof which are capable of obtaining a desirable sterilizing performance achieved through the introduction of electricity for a short period of time, as well as a removal method and a device thereof capable of removing fungi after sterilization.
These days, due to rapid development of gene engineering, it has become a daily affair to remove objective genes and protein from recombined bacteria. In order to take out genes and protein, a method of dissolving fungi with enzymes or physically breaking fungi by using ultrasonic waves, etc. is used.
However, whilst the conventional method described in the above official gazette can achieve the sterilization and the efficient recovery of protein and various hormones from a solution containing micro-organisms, recovery of nucleic acids is not considered at all.
When objective protein and genes are taken out of bacteria by dissolving fungi with enzymes or by physically breaking fungi with ultrasonic waves, it is necessary to cease the culturing of bacteria at once, thereby resulting in the problem that protein and genes cannot be taken out efficiently.